Introduction
Welcome
Congratulations on your purchase of the BCT-10 Highway
Information System & Scanning Radio! State-of-the-art
engineering and advanced electronics provide you with a
preprogrammed information radio designed for easy operation and
dependability.
With the BCT-10 Scanning Radio, you can listen to hundreds of
highway patrol and police frequencies, as well as a number of
weather channels.
Plus, new built-in technology sounds an alarm when a highway
patrol unit using a mobile extender is detected!
Best of all, you don’t have to program any frequencies. Just set the
BCT-10 for your state, and the scanner will do the rest. Please
read this Operating Guide thoroughly before attempting to operate
the unit.
Features
• Highway Patrol Detection
with Strength Meter
• Windshield Mountable
• Local Police Coverage • Instant Weather
• Highway Patrol Coverage • Built-in Speaker
• 9 Level Strength Meter • Pre-Programmed Scanner
covers all 50 States Plus
Canada
1
Terms and Definitions
Frequency Radio signals are sent as waves through the
air. These waves move up and down. A
frequency is the number of times in a certain
time period, usually a second, that these
waves move all the way up and all the way
down and back to all the way up. For example:
123.44 kHz means that the waves are moving
all the way up and all the way down and back
all the way up again 123,440 times each
second.
Mobile Extender When highway patrol officers step away from
their cars, signals from the patrol car are sent
to their portable radios via a mobile extender.
The mobile extender is a transmitter/receiver
that receives the signal from the station and
transmits it to the portable radio on a different,
but lower, frequency.
Scanning Scanning is the process by which your
scanning radio looks for “activity” in the
channels it is programmed to look at. The
scanner checks each frequency for the
presence of a signal, and when it finds a
frequency with a signal, for example someone
talking on it, it stops, allowing you to listen to
the signal. The BCT-10’s Highway Patrol Alert
System also looks for activity on mobile
extender frequencies. When the BCT-10
detects the presence of a signal on one of
these frequencies, it will trigger an audio and
visual alarm.
Introduction
2
Unpacking
Carefully remove all items from the box. If there is any visible
damage, do not operate the equipment. Notify your dealer or
shipping carrier immediately.
For information or instructions on any problem that you may have,
call the Uniden Customer Service Center at:
(800) 297-1023 Monday through Friday,
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central.
3
Included with Your BCT-10 Scanner
If any of these items are missing, please contact your place of
purchase.
OFF
MUTE
MODE
ALARM
L/0
HOLD
STATE
HIGHWAY
SYSTEM
The BCT-10 Highway
Information System
Windshield Mounting
Bracket and Hardware
Visor Clip Mounting
Bracket
BCT-10 Antenna Cigarette Adapter Power
Cord
BCT 10
SCANNER
Operating Guide
HOLD
L/0
STATE
MUTE
MODE
ALARM
HIGHWAY
SYSTEM
H
Y
W
ST
Y
OFF
BCT-10 Operating Guide
Flexible Mobile Antenna
Νοω ισ τηε τιµε φορ αλλ γοοδ µεν το χοµε το τηε αιδ οφ τηε
παρτψ. Φουρ σχορε ψεασ αγο ουρ φατηερσ σετ φορτη ανεω
νατιον χονχειϖεδ ιν Λιβερτψ ανδ δεδιχατεδ το τηε προποσιτιον
τηατ αλλ µεν αρε χρεατεδ εθυαλ. Τηε θυιχκ βροων φοξ ϕυµπεδ
οϖερ τηε γαρδεν ωαλλ. Νοω ισ τηε τιµε φο4ρ αλλ γοοδ µεν το
χοµε το τηε αιδ οφ τηε παρτψ.
Νοω ισ τηε τιµε φορ αλλ γοοδ µεν το χοµε το τηε αιδ
οφ τηε παρτψ. Φουρ σχορε ψεασ αγο ουρ φατηερσ σετ
φορτη α νεω νατιον χονχειϖεδ ιν Λιβερτψ ανδ
δεδιχατεδ το τηε προποσιτιον τηατ αλλ µεν αρε
χρεατεδ εθυαλ. Τηε θυιχκ βροων φοξ ϕυµπεδ οϖερ τηε
γαρδεν ωαλλ. Νοω ισ τηε τι µε φο4ρ αλλ γοοδ µεν το
χοµε το τηε αιδ οφ τηε παρτψ.
Νοω ισ τηε τιµε φορ αλλ γοοδ µεν το χοµε το τηε
αιδ οφ τηε παρτψ. Φουρ σχορε ψεασ αγο ουρ
φατηερσ σετ φορτη α νεω νατιον χονχειϖεδ ιν
Λιβερτψ ανδ δεδιχατεδ το τηε προποσιτιον τηατ
αλλ µεν αρε χρεατεδ εθυαλ. Τηε θυιχκ βροων
φοξ ϕυµπεδ οϖερ τηε γαρδεν ωαλλ. Νοω ισ τηε
τιµε φο4ρ αλλ γοοδ µεν το χοµε το τηε αιδ οφ
τηε παρτψ.
Other Printed Material Straight Power Cord
4
Installation
The BCT-10 uses a highly sensitive antenna to receive radio
signals. Its sensitivity and range depend on the method of
installation and the direction of the antenna in relation to the signal
source. Before you decide where to put your scanner, please keep
in mind one important factor:
For safety, do not mount the BCT-10 in a location where it will
obstruct your driving vision.
Helpful Tips
The antenna is located on the side of the unit. It should not be
obstructed and should be pointed as close to straight up or down
for best operation.
• Do not mount the unit in front of the heater or defroster vents.
• Do not leave the unit in direct sunlight or in the glove
compartment of a closed car for long periods of time, as
extreme changes in temperature may cause internal damage.
Also, removing the unit from the windshield makes you less
susceptible to break-in and theft.
• Be sure the BCT-10 is mounted free of obstructions from the
rear view mirror, sun visors, or the ceiling of the automobile.
Installation
5
Installing the Antenna
BCT-10 Antenna
1. Pinch the sides of the
antenna and attach it to
the BCT-10.
Flexible Mobile Antenna
1. Mount the antenna on the
inside of the windshield at
the far right-hand
(passenger) side.
Caution: Be sure the antenna does not obstruct the driver’s vision
in any way.
2. Route the antenna cable down the edge of the windshield and
around the dash.
HOLD
L/0
STATE
MUTE
MODE
ALARM
HIGHWAY
SYSTEM
Installation
6
Caution:
Be sure the cable is out of the way of anyone getting in or
out of the car.
3. Plug the cable’s BNC
connector into the BCT-10.
Mounting the BCT-10
Visor Mounting
1. Snap the visor clip onto the
BCT-10.
Note: Make sure that the bracket tabs fit securely in the slots.
HOLD
L/0
STATE
MUTE
MODE
ALARM
HIGHWAY
SYSTEM
SQUELCH
Slots
Installation
7
2. Slide the clip over the front
of the visor.
3. Adjust the angle of the
antenna as close to
straight up or down as
possible.
Note: You can remove and replace the BCT-10 by sliding both
the unit and the visor mount off and on the visor.
SQUELCH
SQUELCH
Installation
8
Windshield Mounting
1. Find a good position for the BCT-10 on your windshield. Refer
to the Helpful Tips on page 5 for some guidelines on mounting
positions.
2. Put the metal
mounting
bracket on
the
windshield to
adjust it for
best position.
3. If necessary, adjust the metal
mounting bracket so that
when you slide the BCT-10
onto it, it is parallel to the
road surface and fits flush
against the windshield.Your
BCT-10 should look like the
example at the right once it
is installed.
Caution:
Do Not adjust the metal mounting bracket with the
BCT-10 attached. Doing so can cause damage to the
bracket and the unit.
1
2
3
4
1. Windshield
2. Road Surface
3. Metal Mounting
Bracket
4. Metal Mounting
Bracket
parallel to road
VOLUME
OFF
VOLUME
OFF
VOLUME
OFF
Installation
9
4. Snap the windshield
mounting clip onto the
BCT-10.
5. Slide the plastic windshield
mounting clip into the the
metal mounting bracket.
The mounting clip locks into the plastic portion at three different
positions. These positions can be used for vehicles with different
vertical angles of their windshields. The back position can be used
for vehicles with windshields that are slanted back.
Slots
VOLUME
OFF
HOLD
L/0
STATE
MUTE
MODE
ALARM
HIGHWAY
SYSTEM
Installation
10
6. Place the bracket and the
BCT-10 in the proper location
on the windshield of your
vehicle and press the suction
cups firmly against the
windshield.If the BCT-10
does not fit flush against the
windshield, try a different
position on the metal
mounting bracket.
7. Adjust the angle of the
antenna as close to straight
up or down as possible.
VOLUME
OFF
VOLUME
OFF
VOLUME
OFF
SQUELCH
Installation
11
Connecting the Power
Direct Connection
WARNING: The BCT-10 is designed to operate only with 12V DC,
negative ground power systems. Operation of the unit
on other voltages or polarities will cause damage to
the unit and may create a fire hazard.
The straight power cord provided with the unit has bare wires at
one end, and a small connector at the other end.
1. Connect the positive wire to a 12V DC source in your vehicle’s
fuse box.
2. Connect the other wire to ground.
MUTE
MODE
ALARM
L/0
HOLD
STATE
HIGHWAY
SYSTEM
OFF
Fuse
Box
12
3. Run the power cord from the fuse box to the BCT-10.
Note: Ensure the cord does not interfere with vehicle operation
or cause a tripping hazard.
4. Plug the power cord connector into the Control Unit at the jack
labeled “DC 12V.”
Note: Push the connector firmly into the jack.
Using the Cigarette Lighter Adapter
1. Insert the small connector
into the jack on the side of
the unit.
2. Insert the other end into the
cigarette lighter socket of
your vehicle.
MUTE
MODE
ALARM
L/0
HOLD
STATE
HIGHWAY
SYSTEM
OFF
Connecting the Power
13
When installing the power cord, make sure that:
• The socket is clean to allow proper contact.
• The power cord does not block the antenna area of the unit.
Your unit also comes with 10 power cord mounting clips. You can
use these clips to attach the power cord to the window frame or
other parts of the vehicle, keeping it neat and out of the way. Use
the double-sided foam tape squares to attach each clip. Slip the
power cord into the clip to hold it securely in place.
Replacing the Fuse
The cigarette lighter plug contains a 1-ampere fuse to protect it
from power surges.
1. To replace the fuse, unscrew the top of the plug.
2. Remove the fuse and replace it with the same type.
3. To replace the top, push in
the two metal contacts and
twist into place.
Connecting the Power
14
Operating Instructions
Applying Power
1. Turn the OFF/VOLUME
control counter clockwise to
power on the scanner.Adjust
the volume about 1/4 turn.
2. During power-on, a self-test
is performed. Check the front
control panel for proper
operation.
3. All the LED’s on the front
control panel light up and the
numbers 1 through 9 count
up on the LED display.An
Alert tone is also sounded.
This tells you that the
scanner is working properly.
4. The currently selected state
appears on the display.The
BCT-10 always comes on
with the last settings
selected, and in the last
mode of operation.
MUTE
DISPLAY
SR HP
WX LP
MUTE
HOLD
9
TX
MUTE
HOLD
15
Adjusting the Squelch
Think of the Squelch Control as a gate.
1. Turn the SQUELCH control fully counterclockwise. This raises
the “Squelch Gate” so high that no signals can get through.
2. Turn the SQUELCH control fully clockwise until you hear a
hiss. This lowers the “Squelch Gate” so that everything gets
through ... noise, weak signals, and strong signals.
Strong Signals
Medium Signals
Weak Signals
Noise
Strong Signals
Medium Signals
Weak Signals
Noise
Operating Instructions
16
3. Turn the SQUELCH conrol back counter clockwise just until
the hiss stops. Now the “Squelch Gate” allows only strong
signals through.
4. Sometimes when you open the Squelch, you may trigger the
Alert feature even though no highway patrol cars are in the
area. If this happens, turn the SQUELCH control
counterclockwise until the “rushing” noise stops. Then turn the
BCT-10 off, and back on, to reset the Alert feature.
Note: In metropolitan areas, you may want to adjust the Squelch
control more counterclockwise to reduce the range of
the Alert feature. When set fully counterclockwise,
Squelch limits the Alert range to a short distance.
Strong Signals
Medium Signals
Weak Signals
Noise
Operating Instructions
17
Selecting the State
1. Select the state you are
operating in by pressing
the
S
key repeatedly. If
you press and hold the
S
key for 2 seconds, the
selector moves rapidly
through all the states and
Canadian provinces.
2. The state code appears on
the display. See the
following page for a list of
State codes.
Note: The state codes are in alphabetical order by abbreviation.
HOLD
L/0
STATE
MUTE
MODE
ALARM
SYSTEM
TX
MUTE
HOLD
Operating Instructions
18
State Codes
Code State Code State
AK Alaska NM New Mexico
AL Alabama NV Nevada
AR Arkansas NY New York
AZ Arizona OH Ohio
CA California OK Oklahoma
CO Colorado OR Oregon
CT Connecticut PA Pennsylvania
DC District of Columbia RI Rhode Island
DE Delaware SC South Carolina
FL Florida SD South Dakota
GA Georgia TN Tennessee
HI Hawaii TX Texas
IA Iowa UT Utah
ID Idaho VA Virginia
IL Illinois VT Vermont
IN Indiana WA Washington
KS Kansas WI Wisconsin
KY Kentucky WV West Virginia
LA Louisiana WY Wyoming
MA Massachusetts AB Alberta
MD Maryland BC British Columbia
ME Maine MB Manitoba
MI Michigan NB New Brunswick
MN Minnesota NF Newfoundland
MO Missouri NS Nova Scotia
MS Mississippi NT Northwest Territories
MT Montana ON Ontario
NC North Carolina PE Prince Edward Island
ND North Dakota PQ Quebec
NE Nebraska SK Saskatchewan
NH New Hampshire YT Yukon Territories
NJ New Jersey XX All Frequencies
Operating Instructions
19
Selecting the Frequencies to Scan
Scanning All Frequencies
Note: The Alert feature is not active in this mode.
1. To scan all frequencies
(except Weather), press
the
S
key repeatedly or
press and hold the
S
key until “XX” is blinking on
the LED display.
2. All frequencies, except weather channels, are scanned for an
active transmission.
3. When the BCT-10 finds an
active frequency it
activates a buit-in two
second delay before it
resumes scanning.
Note: The
M
key does not operate in XX mode.
MUTE
HOLD
XX
MUTE
HOLD
XX
Operating Instructions
20
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